Friendly Planet TravelSurvey Finds 88.2 Percent of Americans
Who Visited Cuba in Past 2.5 Years are Now More Supportive of Ending US
Sanctions

Survey of 423 American travelers to Cuba shows the success of US
government people-to-people programs in shifting opinions and attitudes
toward the island nation

February 03, 2014 11:19 AM Eastern Standard Time

JENKINTOWN, Pa.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Asurvey of 423 Americans who visited Cuba during the past two
and a half years as part of U.S.-licensed cultural exchange programs
(known as people-to-people
programs) shows that the experience dramatically transformed their
opinions of Cuba, its people, and U.S. policy toward the country. Most
striking, the survey, which was conducted upon travelers’ return,
reveals that 88.2 percent of those who traveled on people-to-people
programs now say they are more supportive of ending sanctions, many of
which date back to the 1960s. That number compares to only 10.8 percent
of respondents who say that their travel experience to Cuba had no
effect on their opinion. The survey was conducted during the week of
Dec. 9, 2013 by Friendly
Planet Travel, a people-to-people program operator that has taken
thousands of travelers on these cultural programs to Cuba since 2011.

The survey finds that after these exchanges, American travelers to Cuba
can now, “More easily separate politics from culture and appreciate
people for who they are” (with 67 percent of respondents opting for this
response when asked what impact their trip to Cuba made on them). The
ability to separate politics from culture also gives these travelers a
new opinion of the Cuban government. In fact, before visiting Cuba, 47.8
percent of surveyed travelers say they viewed the Cuban government as “a
repressive communist regime that stifles individuality and creativity.”
After experiencing the culture and people of Cuba, only 19 percent of
U.S. travelers surveyed still agree with that sentiment.

Interestingly, only 3.6 percent of travelers surveyed chose to visit
Cuba because of a personal or family connection. Rather, 74.4 percent
say they chose to travel to Cuba on a people-to-people program because
they were “curious about what life was like in Cuba.” The biggest
surprises that many of these travelers report are the openness and
friendliness of Cubans toward Americans, the entrepreneurial drive of
many Cubans, and the vibrancy of the arts and cultural scene in Cuba.

An astonishing 81.3 percent of surveyed travelers say they would travel
to Cuba again if given the chance, the highest intended return rate ever
recorded by Friendly Planet Travel— the company with which the
respondents traveled.

“The results of this survey show that the impact of people-to-people
travel is undeniable and transformational in the lives of those who
travel to Cuba now that restrictions are being eased,” says Peggy
Goldman, President of Friendly Planet Travel. “The experience draws
people closer together but does not whitewash the challenges that Cuban
people face. Our travelers experience the real Cuba, filled with
culture, creativity, and art. They also get to see the reality of Cuban
living standards, which are often difficult and impoverished. The
program changes beliefs and attitudes and allows people to look past
politics and into the heart and soul of a culture. In my more than 30
years in the travel industry, I have never seen a single travel
experience change so many lives.”

Even more telling than the statistics are the travelers’ own words about
their Cuba experience, which they shared in the survey. For instance:

“You will take away so much more than you can imagine from your trip.
After you leave Cuba, ask yourself the question ‘How can I make a
difference for the Cuban people?’ My answer would be: Tell everyone you
can that you, an American, have been to Cuba and it is time that more
Americans go and see … this country and change our attitude.” – Jean
Pluchar, traveler on a people-to-people program with Friendly Planet in
April 2013.

“We felt like our trip to Cuba was an incredible gift. ... There was
so much to see and do and absorb, and the people-to-people interactions
were what made it so special. Cuba was nothing like the 51 other
countries we have visited in the past.”– Robin Hannigan,
traveler on a people-to-people program with Friendly Planet in Jan. 2013.

For more information on this survey, attributable quotes, or to speak to
travelers who have experienced these people-to-people programs
first-hand, contact Alicia Buonanno at 610-228-2096 or Alicia@GregoryFCA.com.

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